UK, Germany, Russia welcome new constitution

KATHMANDU, Sept 16: Following welcome statements by India and the US over the progress made in the constitution making process, the United Kingdom, Russia and Germany have appreciated political actors in Nepal for coming to the final stage of promulgating new statute on Sunday.

In a statement issued Wednesday, UK Minister for Asia, Hugo Swire, has said UK recognizes the progress made by Nepal over the last few months toward the adoption of a new constitution.

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"We hope that the new constitution will be inclusive, broadly supported and meet international standards on equality and respect for human rights, and lay the foundations of stability and prosperity as Nepal continues to rebuild following the devastating earthquake on 25 April," said Minister Swire.

As violent protests continue in different parts of the southern plains claiming over 45 lives, including 10 police personnel, Minister Swire said UK is closely following the final stages of the constitution process. "We urge all citizens to engage through discourse and peaceful, non-violent means, and for all sides to exercise restraint," the minister said.

Ambassador of Russia to Nepal, Dr. Sergey Vasilievich Velichkin, and German Ambassador to Nepal, Matthias Mayer, have also supported the ongoing constitution drafting process in Nepal.

Speaking during a briefing by Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, to Kathmandu-based diplomats on Wednesday, Russian ambassador to Nepal Velichkin said Russia welcomes positive and substantive character of new statute.

While welcoming the progress made so far toward the promulgation of new statute, German ambassador Mayer said, "This country needs a final constitution. There are different ways to promulgate new constitution. Not all issues can be addressed at one time. I am sure population will say yes when constitution is promulgated."

Earlier, India and USA had welcomed the recent progress achieved by the Constituent Assembly in the Constitution-drafting process, after settling several contentious issues of the new statute. The statements of India, the largest democracy in the world and the United States, the oldest democracy in the world, came amid preparations of the CA to promulgate new constitution on September 20.